In our digital world, we’re also spending long days staring at a screen – whether laptop, phone or television – and that can exacerbate dark circles. The more screen time we rack up, the more likely we are to strain our eyes, says Dr Zamani. “Eyes tend to blink less when we’re in front of a computer screen,” she explains. “This causes dryness and the blood vessels in the skin to dilate, creating a dark shadow around the eyes.”
What is the best way to get rid of dark circles?
1. Focus on getting good quality sleep
Start by working on your sleep routine where you can. This could include establishing an earlier and more regular bedtime and avoiding caffeine in the evenings. Sleeping on your back, with your head slightly elevated, will also help to prevent fluids from settling in your face and keeps the circulation moving freely around your body.
“Sleep and rest allows our body to detoxify and rejuvenate, and this is important for the periorbital area,” Dr Zamani adds. “Dark circles can be more prominent with lack of sleep because the skin has not had time to re-set and the blood vessels in the lower eyelid become more dilated.”
Remember, too, that blue light can impact your sleep cycle and suppress melatonin, a natural hormone in the body, whose levels rise in the evening to help promote sleep. So keep your phone or tablet on night mode setting around the clock and try to create what environmental psychologist Lee Chambers calls a ‘digital sunset’ by “shutting down your devices at a set time each evening and storing them away.”
2. Restore moisture to the area
Not only will water flush out toxins like salt (which has been linked to causing eye bags), it also increases blood flow and plumps out dehydrated skin, which can appear more thin and fragile. “Hydrated skin is plump and therefore creates more volume, making dark circles less noticeable,” says Dr Zamani.
Another option is to look for hyaluronic acid, a molecule that can hold 1,000 times its weight in water, in the roll call of skincare ingredients on the back of your eye serum or cream. L’Oreal Paris 2.5% Hyaluronic Eye Serum feels cool to the touch, which will also take down puffiness. The Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid Elastic Lifting Eye Serum contains different molecular weights of hyaluronic acid so its plumping effects can be felt from skin’s surface, down to the deeper layers. Or for a five-day transformative bootcamp, try MZ Skin Brightening & Hydrating Eye Ampoules. There’s a daytime or night-specific cocktail of ingredients to dab onto undereyes, including hyaluronic acid and moisture-locking ceramides.
3. Invest in a retinol eye cream
We all know retinol for its impressive anti-ageing abilities, but according to clinical facialist Kate Kerr, the gold standard ingredient can also be a godsend when it comes to treating dark circles.
“A retinol eye serum is necessary to help stabilise melanocytes (the pigment-forming cells in skin that contribute to dark circles) in order to prevent hyperpigmentation. It also thickens the dermis, improves texture, smooths lines and wrinkles and hides purple skin tones” she says. We recommend the CRYSTAL RETINAL® CERAMIDE EYE by Medik8.
4. Introduce caffeine into your skincare
Caffeine doesn’t just help us to feel more awake, it can help us look more awake, too. When applied to skin, caffeine encourages vasoconstriction (the constricting of the blood vessels under our eyes), which can lead to a reduction in puffiness.
5. Chill the area
Cold temperatures take down swelling and kickstart the circulation, which, in turn, dispels toxins that contribute to ashy-looking skin. “More nutrient-rich blood means toxins are flushed away and water retention is reduced, leaving skin looking plumper and more radiant within a matter of minutes,” says Ada Ooi, facialist and founder of 001 Skincare.